Plumber&#39;s ferret



Cf W. SHEATSLEY.

PLUMBERS FERRET. APPLICATfoN FILED Mmm. 1920.

www@ May 1091921.

[NVE/WOR CWJZ A TTUH/VEYS NlTE@ CHARLES ZVLLIAM SHEATSLEY, 0F PENSACOLA, FLGRIIDA.

PL'Ul/IBERS FERRET.

Specification or Letters Patent.

,Patented llay i0, i921..

Application iled April 13, 1920. Serial No. 373,592.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES W. Simi/irs- LnY, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident of Pensacola, in the county ot Escambia and State of Florida, have invented a new and improved Plumbers Ferret, ot which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

This invention relates to improvements 1n plumbers ferrets, an object ot the invention being to provide an improved construction ot flexible pliers, which can be bent around a bend, or variously positioned to grasp and remove obstructions.

A further object of the invention being to provide a device of the character stated which is ot extremely simple construction, strong and durable in use.

`With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features oi construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more Jfully hereinafter described and pointed out in' the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view in section through a water closet bowl, illustrating the use of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary edge view.

Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. t

l represents a water closet bowl of ordinary construction and 2 is an obstruction located in the outlet passage of the bowl out ot' ordinary reach.

My improved device comprises a flexible, relatively thin handle strip 3 ot any desired length supporting at one end a pair ot jaws 6. rlhese jaws G are crossed and pivotally connected to the strip or handle 3 by means of a rivet 7. rlhe outer tree ends ot the jaws are toothed or serrated, as shown atZ so that they form a i'irm grip to attach themselves to an article to be removed. The inner ends of the jaws are made with lateral projections 6 having slots 6 therein, and the walls of these slots form cam faces against which a headed pin 5 on a flexible tongue 4 is projected. rlhis llexible tongue 4 is preferably of substantially the same width as the handle or strip 3 and is guided in its longitudinal movement on the handle by means .of guide sleeves 8, the latter liXed to the strip 3 and permitting tree longitudinal movement of the tongue 4. V

Handles@ and l0 are provided on the ends of the flexible strip 3 and tongue 4 respectively, so that the handle 9 can be held against movement and the handle l0 moved relative thereto, or both handles moved together .in opposite directions to cause the opening and closing of t ie jaws 6.

The o aeration is as follows: The ferret is projected around the bend ot' the bowl with the jaws 6 apart and when in position the tongue is moved longitudinally by bringing the handles 9 and 10 more nearly together causing the headed pin to move longitudinally through the slots 6 whereby the jaws are brought together as shown by the dotted lines so as to grasp the obstructing article 2 which can then be easily removed.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from the invention, and hence l do not limit .myself to the precise details set "forth, but consider mysell1 at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A device of the character stated comprising a flexible handle, a pair of movable jaws secured to one end of the handle, rectangular guide brackets secured on the handle, a flexible tongue movable longitudinally in the guide members and operating to open or close said jaws.

2. A device of the character stated comprising a flexible handle, rectangular guide sleeves on the handle, a J'terrible tongue movable longitudinally on the handle in the guide sleeves, movable jaws on one end of the handle, a'pin on the tongue yengaging said jaws and adapted to positively open or positively close said jaws.

3. L device orn the character stated cornprising a flexible handle, a pair of crossed movable jaws pivoted on one end ot said handle, lateral angularly disposed proj ections on said jaws having longitudinal slots therein, a flexible tongue slidable on said handle, and a pin onsaid tongue projecting through both of said slots and controlling the position of the jaws.

CHARLES WllLUM SHIETSLEY. 

